Chapter 4: Hidden Chains and Veiled Power
1357 Words
The next morning, Ava was still sticking to my side like we were friends.
I didn’t understand why.
Most people avoided me. They either found me too cold or didn’t bother because of my family’s reputation. But Ava acted as if none of that mattered. She chattered endlessly, completely ignoring my lack of response.
Unfortunately, we were in the same class again—Potions.
The moment we entered, I immediately noticed the professor. A tall red-haired woman stood at the front of the room, arms crossed, sharp green eyes scanning the students like she was already judging us. Her presence was intense, and it was clear she had little patience.
“Welcome to Potions Class,” she announced, voice firm. “I am Professor Veyna. This is not a class where you can get by with luck. Potions require precision, patience, and skill. If you cannot follow instructions, you will fail. Now—pair up.”
Before I could even process her words, Ava grabbed my sleeve. “We’re partners!”
I sighed but didn’t protest.
Once everyone was paired, Professor Veyna continued, “Today, we’ll start with a simple restorative potion. It should have mild healing properties if done correctly. If not, well… let’s hope none of you poison yourselves.”
Ava grinned. “I love this class!”
I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.
She took that as an invitation to talk. “Potion-making is my favorite. It’s like an extension of my magic! I can heal and purify things, but my magic is weak, so I can only heal small wounds… That’s why I work hard at potions. It helps make up for it.”
I simply nodded, focusing on my ingredients.
The twins, however, were already making a scene.
Jax groaned. “Ugh, why do we even need this class? We have lightning magic, not whatever this is.”
Jon smirked. “Yeah, we should be learning how to fight, not mix weird liquids like common alchemists.”
Ava huffed beside me. “They’re so annoying.”
I ignored them and got to work.
Following the instructions precisely, I crushed the herbs, added the right amount of essence, and controlled the flame under my cauldron to the perfect temperature. Within minutes, my potion had turned the correct translucent blue—a sign of success.
Ava gasped. “Whoa, you finished so fast!”
The twins, who had been struggling the entire time, turned their attention to me.
Jon sneered. “Oh, look. The odd ice magic daughter of the great Duke Devori is showing off.”
Jax scoffed. “Bet she’s trying to make up for being the failure of her family.”
I said nothing. Their words didn’t affect me—they were predictable, meaningless.
But Ava wasn’t as calm. She clenched her fists. “You two are just jealous because you’re terrible at this.”
Jax rolled his eyes. “Please, like we care.”
Professor Veyna suddenly slammed her hand on a desk, making everyone flinch.
“Enough.” Her sharp eyes landed on the twins. “If you have time to run your mouths, you have time to fix whatever disaster is brewing in your cauldron.”
The twins muttered under their breaths but obeyed.
Ava leaned toward me and whispered, “I really don’t like them.”
I just nodded, stirring my potion one last time.
This class was proving to be just as tedious as I expected. But at least now I knew two things—
Ava was strangely persistent.
And the twins? They were nothing but noise.
As Ava continued rambling about how much she disliked the twins, my attention shifted to the back of the room.
It was him again.
Darius Blackthorn.
His presence was just as intense as yesterday—powerful, yet hidden beneath an ordinary exterior. Unlike in magic class, where he downplayed his abilities, he had finished his potion flawlessly and just as quickly as I had.
Im curious.
Why show his skill in academics but not in magic?
He sat there silently, adjusting his glasses, while his partner—a brown-haired guy with a lazy smirk—looked completely uninterested in the class.
Ava noticed my glance and whispered, “That’s Cole. He’s flirty, lazy, and somehow always gets out of trouble.”
I wasn’t interested in him.
Cole must have thought I was glancing at him because he suddenly grinned and winked at me.
I didn’t react. My cold, emotionless stare remained unchanged.
His grin faltered slightly, like he had expected some kind of reaction. Ava stifled a giggle beside me.
I turned back to my potion and sat down, ignoring him completely.
Whatever he thought, it didn’t matter.
After class, Ava insisted on following me again, but I had no interest in entertaining her chatter.
“I’ll see you later,” I said, my tone final.
“But—”
I was already walking away before she could finish.
Ignoring her protests, I quietly made my way toward the training grounds, ensuring no one followed me. This was the only place I could practice properly—without expectations, without judgment.
I took a deep breath and raised my hand. Ice bloomed from my fingertips, forming sharp crystalline structures in the air. It was easy. Basic ice magic came to me naturally.
But I needed to push further.
Focusing, I gathered more energy, attempting something stronger. A larger formation of ice began to take shape, swirling and expanding—
Then pain.
A sharp, searing ache spread through my chest.
I gasped, clutching my heart as my vision blurred. My body trembled, my legs threatening to give out. The familiar sensation of chains tightening around my magic—restricting it, punishing me—made it impossible to continue.
I was about to collapse when a voice cut through the air.
“You shouldn’t push yourself like that.”
I tensed.
Turning my head, I saw him.
Darius.
He stepped out from the shadows, his silver eyes unreadable behind his glasses. He walked toward me, calm and composed, as if he had been expecting this.
I forced myself to stand straight, ignoring the lingering pain. “What do you want?”
His gaze flickered to my chest, then back to my eyes. “It’s my first time seeing someone with a cursed heart that still lives.”
His words hung in the air.
He took a slow step closer, eyes unreadable. “A curse like that… It doesn’t destroy your magic completely. It only restrains it.”
I clenched my fists. I already knew that. I had lived with it.
“But even a restraint of that level is nearly impossible to maintain.” His voice was thoughtful, almost intrigued. “The mage who cast it must have been—” He stopped, then shook his head slightly. “Never mind.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What do you need?”
He tilted his head slightly. “I’m just… curious.”
His lips curled into the faintest hint of a smirk before he turned to leave.
“Darius Blackthorn.”
He paused mid-step.
I stared at him, focusing on the aura that surrounded him. It wasn’t just strong—it was immense, like a storm hidden beneath the surface, coiled and waiting. It wasn’t just shadow magic either. There was something else. Something dark, something old.
Something dangerous.
“I can see your aura,” I said. “It’s overwhelming. Far stronger than what you let people believe.”
His body remained still, but I knew he had heard me.
“I don’t know why you’re hiding it,” I continued. “But I won’t meddle.”
There was a pause, then a quiet chuckle. “Smart choice.”
Then he turned his head slightly, silver eyes gleaming under the dim light.
“Ilony Devori.”
He spoke my full name as if he had known it long before today.
That alone sent a shiver through me.
Without another word, he walked away.
I stood there, watching his retreating figure.
Curious, huh?
I wasn’t the only one.
- Writer
